(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an assembled connector and more particularly to an assembled connector which is constructed of a plurality of connector housings.
(2) Statement of the Prior Art
A typical example of conventional assembled connectors is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. Hei 5-90841 (1993).
For convenience of explanation, an assembled connector disclosed in the above Disclosure will be described below by referring to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the prior assembled connector.
As shown in the drawing, an inner housing 2 which is formed into a box-like shape and is adapted to contain a terminal 1 therein is provided in a bottom wall thereof with recesses 3 communicated with a terminal-containing chamber and on a top wall thereof with protrusions 4 corresponding to the recesses 3. Each inner housing 2 is accommodated in an outer housing 6 with partitions 5 by stacking the inner housings 2 one after another. When one inner housing 2 is stacked on the other inner housing 2, the protrusions 4 of the lower inner housing 2 enter the recesses 3 in the upper inner housing 2. The recesses 3 are communicated with the terminal-containing chamber while the protrusions 4 engage with a rear end of a stabilizer 7 of the terminal 1, which is primarily locked on a lance (not shown) in the terminal-containing chamber, so as to effect a double lock of the terminal.
In other words, in a pair of stacked inner housings 2 and 2, the protrusions 4 on one inner housing 2 enter the recesses 3 in the other inner housing 2, thereby carrying out the dual lock of the terminal 1.
In the conventional assembled connector described above, since the protrusions 4 enter the other recesses 4 to engage with the rear end of the stabilizer 7 of the terminal 1, thereby effecting the double lock of the terminal 1, the protrusions 4 come into contact with the terminal 1 and thus cannot enter the recesses 3 in the case where the terminal 1 is not pushed to a regular position in the terminal-containing chamber. Consequently, it is impossible to stack a further inner housing 2 on the inner housing 2 with a half fitted terminal.
In the case where the inner housing 2 on the other inner housing 2, the terminal 1 has to be inserted again into the regular position in the chamber and the inner housing has to be stacked again on the other inner housing. If the inner housing is forced to be inserted downwardly into the outer housing 6 carelessly, the terminal 1 in the chamber will be broken.
In addition, since a frame like outer housing 6 and a lid 8 are required for stacking the inner housings 2, the assembled connector will be large and the member of parts will increase. The lowest inner housing requires a particular retainer to lock the terminal twice since the other protrusions 4 do not enter the recesses 3 in the lowest inner housing 2. Accordingly, if the retainer is not attached in the recesses 3 in the lowest inner housing, all inner housings on the column in the outer housing must be stacked again.